Made in Dagenham

The show tells the true story of the few upholstery machinists at Ford’s Dagenham plant who came out on strike in the late 60s for equal pay. In doing so they took on the full might of Ford USA, the British Government, the TUC, public opinion and initially their own colleagues. And won!

The plot revolves around an ordinary housewife and machinist Rita O’Grady who inadvertently becomes the spokeswoman for the ladies and in doing so risks the stability of her home and marriage to fight for something she passionately believes in.

The piece also highlights and reminds us, sometimes uncomfortably, about other issues of the day as well as equality of the sexes, namely; corporal punishment in schools, sexism in the workplace, the
expectations of working class children especially girls, the expectations of degree educated women in society, women in the trade unions, women in government, non pc comedians, and American business influence in UK and European affairs. And all this is done with a pithy sense of humour throughout.

It makes you laugh, and it makes you think.